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BREATH OF FRESH AIR

This Western Springs home boasts family-friendly spaces, indoors and out

By Lisa Arnett

When Carey and Karl Freimuth started building in Western Springs with Tartan Builders, they knew they’d need help with the home’s interior design.

“My husband, style-wise, is more traditional and I’m more modern or contemporary, so we were looking for someone to help us bridge that gap,” Carey says. They hired Renee DiSanto and Christina Samatas of Park & Oak Interior Design in Glen Ellyn, who embraced the challenge. “It’s very rare when a couple ... just loves all the same things,” DiSanto says.

Moving from Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, the Freimuths pictured a family-friendly space with plenty of room to relax and play with their three young children. DiSanto and Samatas crafted a neutral palette with splashes of deep blue and green for the five-bedroom, four-and-a-half-bath home. Highlights include a stone patio for outdoor lounging and a basement outfitted with a fireplace, bar, and wine cellar.

“We wanted to do something unique in here, so we painted the ceiling dark, which is a contrast to the white millwork,” DiSanto says of the formal dining room. Eye-catching elements include a rustic square table in a near-black hue, an industrial lighting fixture by Restoration Hardware, and woven leather chairs. Pre-pandemic, the Freimuths used this space occasionally for entertaining; they recently transformed it into a family coworking space. “We call it our e-learning center,” Carey says. “We do have an office, but one of us takes turns sitting here with all the kids set up with their school stuff.”

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The kitchen’s breakfast nook is where the Freimuth family eats most of their meals. A custom table from Rest & Repine Furniture Studio in Wheaton and a built-in banquette provide ample space. “That’s [the kids’] spot if they want to color or work on a project or crafts,” Carey says. “When they have friends over, it’s pretty big and you can throw all the kids back there and give them pizza.”

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An outdoor TV (not shown) and comfy sofa make the Freimuth’s patio an extension of their living room. “This sectional is from Summer Classics, and it’s really easy; you put the pieces together to create the shape you want,” says Renee DiSanto of Park & Oak. A white pergola and freestanding umbrella cast plentiful shade on this stone patio. “We spend a lot of time out there, especially in the summer,” says homeowner Carey Freimuth. “I’ll go out there and have a glass of wine and watch my shows after the kids go to bed.” Cafe-style chairs in navy and white invite outdoor dining for this family of five. “That look is a great option for chairs because it goes with a lot of different styles, but it’s something a little bit different,” says DiSanto.

Park & Oak